Seeing You Through to Good Health: Interview with Radiographer, Jeremiah Hong
14 December 2022
Introducing Jeremiah Hong, one of our dedicated radiographers working here at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City.
Radiographers like him play an important role behind the scenes. They produce images of tissue, organs and bone with CT Scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), X-Rays and fluoroscopy procedures, which doctors rely heavily on to diagnose or prescribe the right treatment for patients’ issues.
Friendly and easygoing in his demeanour, you can’t help but feel at ease while speaking to him; it’s easy to see why he is popular with both colleagues and patients alike. Over here, he shares more about himself, his job and his experiences on the job.
How Did He Get Into Radiography?
Jeremiah had initially wanted to be a surgeon, following in the footsteps of his grandparents who both pursued medical careers.
However, that dream did not materialise. This led him to choose to study Radiography and Medical Imaging after pursuing his Form 6 studies.
That very decision turned out to be the best thing that has happened to him.
For him, the job has the perfect balance of physics, biology, chemistry and medical knowledge. Not only that, but it also offers a better work-life balance compared to doctors, which is one aspect of the job that he is thankful for.
What About Radiography?
People often think that a radiographer’s job is simple. After all, it’s just capturing images of people’s insides, right?
This misconception, according to Jeremiah, is actually far from the truth.
“For one, to get the right images, you’ll need to know what to look for, and also what the doctor wants to see. And this is where a radiographer’s knowledge and skills come in,” he shared.
What Does He Do At Work?
On a daily basis, he and his colleagues take turns operating the CT Scan, X-Ray and MRI machines (depending on which room he is assigned to), handling patients, making calls and scheduling patients’ appointments.
And it can get quite hectic here at the Radiology department. The most patients he has handled in a day were 70 - 80 patients.
His working hours are usually from 8.30 am - 5.00 pm, and is on call at least 3 times a week.
What Does He Enjoy Most About His Job?
This once-quiet guy shares that it is through this job that he discovered that he loves connecting and interacting with people.
As a radiographer, he plays an important role in explaining to the patient the procedure to help them better understand what they will be going through.
It is now one of the favourite parts of his job. And having to see almost 50 patients daily, it is safe to say that he will never run out of people to interact with!
Are There Any Challenges on the Job?
Of course, like every other job, there are challenges. Complications can occur at any time during the procedure, and Jeremiah will usually have to step in to solve the issue.
“There was once when a patient had a seizure during his CT Scan. I had to stop the procedure, stay with him and make sure he doesn’t hurt himself,” he shared.
Of course, that’s not all. The nature of his job also means that there are times when he has to deal with difficult or angry patients.
In fact, he had a story where a patient jumped out midway through CT Scan on his brain.
“He angrily questioned who we were and then proceeded to walk out of the room.”
“My colleague and I did our best to calm him down and hold on to him, but he didn’t stop walking until we reached the Emergency Department entrance!” he exclaimed.
Once again, a big thank you to Jeremiah Hong for all the work he does as a radiographer to serve the patients here at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City!
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